Bekaa Valley , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In my nine years as a UNICEF ambassador , I 've been to camps for people displaced by conflict . Though hardly luxurious , they usually have some kind of structure : a water source , latrines , even schools .

In Lebanon , even the most basic services are hard to come by as the small country staggers from the flow of refugees from its larger neighbor . The places I saw had no toilets , no clean water sources , no places to shower and no areas for cooking . Cases of painful scabies , lice and fleas are on the rise .

I met mothers and children who have witnessed unspeakable acts of violence , including the death of loved ones . Often arriving in Lebanon with no more than the clothes on their backs , moms are trying to hold their families together with no idea how they will feed , clothe or shelter their traumatized kids .

Many of these refugees lived a middle-class life in Syria , where they had homes , jobs , electricity and plumbing .

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Now , their savings have dwindled and many of them are dependent on the generosity and hospitality of strangers . They are living in tents constructed from discarded objects such as burlap sacks and plastic sheets . They might rent land from a farmer or squat in an abandoned construction site . These new `` homes '' leave them exposed to all sorts of dangers , respiratory infections and other diseases . And because there are no official camps , people are scattered , which makes identifying the informal settlement sites extremely challenging .

We traveled to a cement factory , where some Syrian mothers were renting tiny rooms to house their entire families . I noticed one young girl who had dull , patchy skin . Her eyes sparkled and she was quick to smile , but her hair , eyebrows and lashes were sparse . When I asked about what happened , I was told that she became ill after playing in the factory 's toxic waste .

Since January , the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has increased nearly six-fold . More than a million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid .

Considering Lebanon has a population of 4 million people , this is a crisis of epic scale that is putting enormous strain on local communities .

According to UNICEF , there are more than 270,000 refugee children who are not in school in the country ; by the end of the year , the number could exceed 400,000 . Some of them have missed out on more than a year of learning . Syrian children can enroll in public schools in Lebanon as long as there is space , but many schools are already at capacity .

In the United States , much of the discussion about Syria has been focused on politics . But for the kids I met , and millions more like them all across the region , politics is the farthest thing from their minds .

Despite bearing no responsibility for the violence , children are paying the heaviest price for the conflict . They desperately need water , medical attention , sanitation , psychological support and the opportunity to receive an education , but there are simply not enough resources to alleviate suffering .

In spite of the enormity of the crisis , funding for lifesaving aid is in short supply .

UNICEF still needs $ 172 million this year to assist Syrian refugees across the region , which means programs to support these children are threatened . Clean water , schools , health care and nutrition are all at risk .

I was overwhelmed by the deprivation and trauma the children we met have endured . But they rushed up to us with kisses and hugs , asking only for the chance to go to school . They deserve that chance .

What 's at stake is an entire generation of children who are carrying the emotional and physical scars of war . Time is running out for them . They need our help to stay alive , to go to school and to be kids again .

Frustration in Congress with aid to Syrian rebels

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UNICEF Ambassador Lucy Liu visited Syrian refugees in Lebanon

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Each day thousands of Syrians flee into the country , half are children

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UNICEF needs $ 172 million to provide clean water , schools , health care and nutrition